Rotary printing-machine



(No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. BROOKS. ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

No. 408,513. Patented May 21, 1889.

v WlTNESSES:

m Y/WA N. PETERS. Phnlo-Lnhogmphan washin wn. D. c.

6 Sheets--Sheet 2,.

(No Model.)

J. BROOKS. ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

M M 1 w 7 m L M 9 S Y m B d I 6 W. b n 9 b a P I N, PETERS, Fnomumu u her. Washington. D. c.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. BROOKS. ROTARY PRINTING MAGHINE.

Patented May 21, 1889.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J.BRO0KS. v ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

Patented May 21 INV NTOR ATTDR N EY N. PETERS Pinch-Lithographer. Wnihingion. D. c.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. BROOKS. ROTARY PRINTING MAGHINE.

Patented May 21, 1 889.

N. PEYERS. Phwhmu m her. Wnsh'mglan. n. C.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Shet 6. J. BROOKS. ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE.

Patented May 21, 1889.

WITNESSES:

m P'EYEHS. Pkwy-Litho ra her wahingmm 0.6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JOHN BROOKS, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

ROTARY PRINTING-MACH I N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,513, dated May 21, 1889. Application filed May 12, 1888. Serial No. 273,703. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN BRO0Ks,a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield,in the county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Printing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rotary presses in the operation of which a continuous web of paper fed through the printing mechanism receives the impression on one or both sides, as the case may be, and is subsequently separated into sheets, which are to be folded together to form, for instance, the several pages of a newspaper.

In the practice of my invention the combined sheets constituting the publication are printed by separate machines operated in conjunction, and said sheets are delivered and folded simultaneously by means of a folding mechanism common to both machines.

The object of my invention is to tally the delivery of the products of each machine to the folding mechanism irrespective of the different relative surface speeds at which the webs may be passed through the said separate machines in co-operating to produce, for

instance, a six, eight, ten, twelve, sixteen, or

larger page publication. In the example of a six-page paper the one machine, being driven at a given surface speed, is employed to deliver, for instance, four-page sheets, and the second machine is driven at half the surface speed of the first to deliver two-page sheets, whereby an equal rate of production is obtained, and whereby the leading edge of each two-page or supplement sheet is registered with the folding-point of each four-page sheet in the folding mechanism.

My invention therefore consists in a mechanism for cutting, tallying, and folding the sheets from the printed webs delivered from separate presses irrespective of the different relative surface speeds of delivery or the different lengths such as may be required to be cut from the separate webs. To this end I employ a separate cutting and a perforating mechanism, the former (used to sever the web delivered from the first machine) having a given speed, the latter (used to partly sever the web delivered from the second machine) having a variable surface speed. The cutting mechanism is located and combined, preferably, with the folding mechanism common to both presses, and which is driven at a surface speed corresponding with the given speed of the first machine. The perforating mechanism is located in the line of delivery of the printed web from the second press and perforates said web in such variable lengths as may be required. From the perforating mechanism, which is driven at variable speeds, the sheets are detached by feed-rolls having the given surface speed of the first machine, and which seize the leading end of the partly-severed sheets of the second machine, parting the same and accelerating their speed at a period whereby their said leading ends will tally with the cutting or folding points of the sheets from the first machine.

My invention also consists of a construction whereby the feed or parting rolls, which part the variably-perforated sheets, as aforesaid, are made adjustable in their position in the line of paper-feed to or from the perforating-rolls of the second machine, and Where- 'by their period of parting is readily adapted to accommodate the changes of relative surface speeds of said second machine to the first and tally the sheets in the folding mechanism.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to understand and use my said invention, I will proceed to describe its construction in detail, explain its operation, and subsequently point out in the appended claims its novel characteristics.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents the combined end views of the folding mechanisms pertaining to and forming a part of separate printing-machines and the connecting mechanism whereby they are operated in conjunction. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a plan view of Fig. 1, the printing mechanism being omitted. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a side view of one of the presses (being that herein designated as the first machine) and its folding mechanism; Fig. 4, Sheet 4-, an enlarged sectional detail view of the cutting and folding mechanism of the first machine, being taken in the plane :r :0, Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5, Sheet 5, a view corresponding partially to Fig.4, taken exterior to the frame of the machine on the line y y, Figs. 2 and 3, showing the parts in a succeeding period of operation; Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the parts in a position of operation succeeding that of Fig. 5. Fig. 7, Sheet 6, is a view similarly taken to Fig. 5 of a modification of the invention, and Fig. 8 a detail sectional view of Fig. 7 on the line 2 z.

1 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are the side and transverse frames, respectively, of the first of the connected machines, and 3 4 corresponding frames of the second machine, all of which frames are supported on the usual suitable foundation or base frames, 5, of each machine, which are placed at a convenient distance apart.

In Fig. 3, 6 represents the spool of paper web provided to each machine, and from which the web is fed in its usual course, as

indicated by broken lines, between the impression and type cylinders 7 and 8, thence, if both sides are to be printed, between the second impression and type cylinders, 9 and i 10, and delivered then in a direction at a right angle to its original course over the diagonal bar 16 to the folding mechanism.

11 12 are the inking and 13 the distributing rolls, of the usual construction, supplying the type-cylinders 8 and 10.

The web '15 of the second machine is conducted in a similar course through its printing-machine and similarly'turned in its'course over the diagonal bar 17, and carried thence across to the folding mechanism of the first machine, the folding mechanism of the second machine being idle during the combined use of the two presses.

The machines are herein illustrated as car- -rying a double width of web whereon duplicate pages are printed by the type-cylinder simultaneously and subsequently separated or split by a suitable knife either before or after folding, but preferably the latter. The

additional diagonal bars, 18 19, are used in cases where unlike and distinct'pa'ges of the same paper are simultaneously printed by the two portions toward the opposite ends of the type-cylinders, and are split apart centrally to the web previous to or during the passage of the one division of the 'web over the first 'di agonal bar, 16 or 17, the remaining division being turned over the half-width bars 18 or 19, 'to be superimposed on the first halfwidth of the web and simultaneously cut therewith transversely and folded. These additional diagonal bars 18 or 19 are used in the practice 'of my invention in producing any number of combined pages exceeding eight, as will hereinafter appear.

20 and 21 are the driving-shafts of the separate machines, suitably geared to the printing mechanisms, and geared to drive one or both the folding mechanisms by the bevelgear 22. The driving-shaft 20 of the first machine receives its motion by power applied through thefast and loose driving-pulleys 23, and motion is imparted at an equal, a half, or any desired relative speed from the shaft 20 to the shaft 21 by means of a differential speed-clutch of any suitable construction,but preferablysuch as shown, and which corresponds to that fully described by me in an application for, a patent filed March 24, 1888, Serial No. 268,354. The clutch mechanism consists of two sets of fast and loose gears, 24 25 and 26 27, having unlike proportions, Fig. 2, the loose gears being located on a common counter-shaft, 28.' The loose gears 25 and 27 have opposite clutch-faces, with which a clutch-collar, 29, shifting on the countershaft 28 by a lever, 30, and turning with said shaft, engages alternately or disengages from both said gears. The proportions of the gears are in the present instance that of equal size and of two to one, respectively, whereby an equal speed or half the speed of the shaft 20 may be imparted to the count-ershaft 28,.and thence through the equal gears 31 to the shaft 21. Otherwise the disengage ment of the clutch by the central position of the lever 30 will permit the operation of the first machine independently.

The folding mechanism consists of three cylinders, 32 33 34, which are geared together by gears 35 36 37, Fig.2, to receive the motion imparted'to the cylinder 32 from the driving-shaft 20 through the bevel-gears 22.

The cylinder 32, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, is provided with a cutting-blade, 38,running its en-' tire length and coinciding at each rotation with a knife-groove,39, in the cylinder 33. The cylinder 32 is also provided with a folding-bl'ade, 40, located diametrically opposite the cutting-blade 38, and coinciding at each rotation with a folding or creasing groove, 41,

of the cylinder 33, wherein the folded edge of the paper is received and caught by the grippers 42, which extend in series at suitable intervals longitudinally to the cylinder.

The cylinder 33 is provided with a-foldingblade, 43, located at an angleof ninety-degrees about its axis froni'and between the folding and the cutting points, succeeding the former in the order of its rotation, and coinciding at each rotation with a folding or creasing groove, 44, on the cylinder 34, also provided with grippers 45, similar to those of the groove 41.

The grippers 42 45 are operated to open and close upon the folded point of the paper at the moment of coincidence of the foldingblades and open and release the folded edge of the paper at the proper moments by means of the arms 78, Figs. 5 and 7, which bear antifriction rollers 79 and are fixed to the shafts of said grippers. The anti-friction rollers 79 The cylinder 34 carries a series of tapes, 46,

ranged atsuitable intervals transversely to the machine to conduct the sheets from said cylinder after the long folds are completed. The subsequent short folds of the paper are performed by a mechanism to which the tapes 46 and 48 conduct, but which is herein omitted. The tapes 46 are carried in circumferential grooves or slightly-depressed surfaces in the cylinder 34 to clear the surface of the adjacent cylinder 33 and the tape-cylinder 47, both of which are in contact in practice, (though shown slightly apartin the drawings for clearness of illustration.) The said circumferential grooves of the cylinder 34 are deepened at that portion of the cylinders surface adjacent the longitudinal foldinggroove 44, whereby the tapes clear the entrance of the folding-blade and permit the insertion of the folding-point of the sheets into the grippers 45. The tapes 48, also ranged in series across the machine, as well as the tapes 46, pass over the tape-cylinders 47 49 and tape-pulleys 50 51. The shaft of the tapepulleys 51 is carried in bearings on the ends of adjustable arms 52, which are adjustable about the shaft-axis 53 and act as tighteners. The tapes 46 48 are propelled at equal speed by means of suitable gearing connected to the tape cylinders or pulleys, and are in contact in practice, though shown apart in the drawings. Upon the axial shaft 53 the arm 54 carries a circular knife, 55, which has rubber bearing-surfaces 56 attached to each side, which bear 011 the surface of the cylinder 49, the latter having a circumferential groove to receive the knife. The circular knife is constantly applied with sufficient pressure to divide the duplicate folded papers 57 as they pass over the cylinder 49.

The web of the first press is continuously passed from under the diagonal bar 16 around the cylinder 58 to and through the parting feed-rolls 59 60, thence over the plate 61, extending across the machine, and which guides the web between the folding-cylinders 32 The folding-cylinders and rolls 58 59 60 rotate at the surface speed of the first press,

. the said rolls being driven by the intermediate gears, 61 62. The gear 61 inside of the frame 2 is fixed to a shaft, 64, Fig. 2, which bears a separate gear on the outside of said frame, and which meshes with the gear 35 of the cylinder The web of the second press in the instance of a six or twelve page paper being printed at half the surface speed of the first is perforated by the perforating-knife 65 in the cutting-cylinders 66 67, which are driven at the said half surface speed by means of the intermediate gears, 68 69, and the gear 70 of the cylinder 66. The circumferences of the cylinders 66 67 are half the dimension of that of the cutting-cylinder 32, and are adapted to score the half or two page supplement-sheets. The perforating-knife 65 coincides at each rotation with the knife-groove 71. The knives 65 and 38 project from rubber-faced surfaces 72 adjacent to them on the cylinder-surfaces, and which hold the paper over the grooves 71 39 during the entrance of the knives therein.

73 74 are pairs of feed-rolls which assist to hold the paper taut at the point of perforation, and are driven by means of suitable gears at the surface speed of the second press. The lower feed-roll, 73, which is constructed in the form of a series of pulleys, has grooved pulleys of lesser size ranged between its main pulleys, which carry cord belts or tapes 83, that pass around the cuttingcylinder 66. These are designed to obviate the dropping of the leading end of the web between the rolls out of the line of feed during its'first passage therein.

75 is a hand-lever adapted to move the press or presses as may be required for adjustment during stoppage, the said lever being projected from a loose hub upon the shaft 20 and made to engage by means of a pawl, 76, with a ratchet, 77, fixed to said shaft.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the parting-rolls 59 60 are made adjustable in the line of paper-feed, whereby they may be conveniently regulated to part the half-length sheets at the required moment to subsequently register with the folding-pointin the full-length sheets between the cylinders 32 The partingrolls 59 60 in this construction have tapes 81 82, adapted to convey the perforated web of the second machine to them and from them. The tapes 81 82 travel over the feed-rolls 73 at the one extremity and over the tape-pulleys 84 85 at their opposite extremity. The tapes 82 are tightened by means of a tightener, 86, projected from the shaft 87. The shaft 87 bears a cylinder, 88, which turns the web 14, received from the diagonal bar 16, and the said shaft is adjustable by means of its sliding bearing-blocks 89, which may be set at different points to increase or diminish the course of the web 14 and its consequent period of arrival between the cylinders 32 33. The web 14 follows the course indicated by broken lines, passing between the rolls 90 91.

In the practice of printing unlike pages 011 opposite ends of the type cylinders of the first press and dividing and superimposing the single widths by the use of both diagonal bars 16 and 18 the roll 91 is used to turn the lower subdivision, 92, of the web 14 and superimposes the two divisions, which are passed together through the cutting and folding cylinders 32 33, also receiving the additional supplementsheets from the rolls 84 85. The parting-rolls 59 60 have bearings in movable sliding blocks 93 at each side of the machine, and which are moved on guides 94 by means of the racks 95, attached to said sliding blocks, and the pinions 96, which are duplicated and turn simultaneously on each side of the machine by means of a suitable hand-crank applied to the transverse shaft 97. The shaft 97 may be locked in its point of adjustment, if required, by means of a pawl and ratchet or other suitable device applied thereto, to prevent the displacement of the parting-rolls during action.

The connecting toothed gears for imparting rotation to the several parts of the mechanism are indicated diagrammatically by broken lines, and their points of engagement as well as direction of rotation designated by the arrows. The rolls 90 and 91, 88,84 and 85, 59, and 60 are driven from the gear 36, Fig. 2, of the cylinder 33 by transmission through the intermediate gears, 98 99 100 101 102, as will be understood by an inspection of the drawings, Fig. 7. The intermediate gear 102 is horizontally adjustable by movement of its stud in a slot, 103, of the arm 104, and vertically adjustable by movement of said arm about its pivot 105, the said arm being secured in position of adjustment by a suitable clamping-bolt, 106, working in aslot, so that the gear 102 shall engage with and transmit motion from the gear of the tape-cylinder 84 to the gear of the parting-roll 60, irrespective of the various positions of the latter. The intermediate gear 100 is also adjustable upon the arm 107, fulcrumed upon the axis of the gear 99, to engage with the gear of the roll 88 at all points of adjustment.

The cutting-cylinders 66 67 in Fig. 7 are driven, in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4, by the intermediate gears 63 68 69 and the cylinder-gear 70, imparting rotation to said cylinders 66 67 from the cutting and folding cylinder 32 at half the surface speed of the first press.-

108 109, Fig. 1,.indicate cutting-cylinders equal in circumference to the cutting and folding cylinder 32, and which are substituted for the cylinders 66 67 in the production of four-page sheets from the second press. They are similarly equipped with feed-rolls 110, as are the said cylinders 66 67, and are geared to receive their motion from suitable part of the first or second machine. v

The operation of my invention, referring to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, is as follows: For printing six-page papers the clutch-collar 29 is shifted to engage the gears 26 27 with the shaft 28, imparting half the surface speed to the second press of that of the first press.

Four-page impressions are printed in duplicate on the full-width web 14 by the first press and delivered over the diagonal bar 16, the roll 58, between the parting-rolls 59 60, and thence to the cutting and folding cylinders 32 Two-page impressions are printed in duplicate on the full-width web 15 by the second press and delivered at half the surface speed of the four-page sheets over the diagonal bar 17, the rolls 112 113 114, and in the direct line indicated to the feed-rolls 74, whence the continuous web is transversely perforated between the perforating-cylinders 66 67 at each revolution of the same, which have half the circumference of the cylinders 32 33. The webof the second press is thereby perforated in lengths from the point 116 to the point 115, Fig. 4. The point 117 of the first web, which is subsequently to be the folding-point, traveling at double the speed of the second web, will tally with the leading end 115 of said second web upon its arrival between the parting-rolls 59 60, at which time the supplement-sheet is parted at the point 116, the succeeding portion of the web 15 being retarded by the rolls 73. The leading end of the supplement-sheet, severed from the web 15, will now tally with the folding-blade 40 between the cylinders 32 33, or arrive slightly in advance thereof, so as to fold in at its edge with the folding-point of the fourpage sheet from the web 14, as shown in Fig.

6. The web 14 having been cut by the knife 38 at the period of operation shown in Fig. 4,

its leading end has been conveyed about the cylinder 32 by a line or series of small projecting spurs, 118, Fig. 6, and the points 115 117 of the webs are inserted into the groove 41'by the folding-knife 40, as in Fig. 6. B the continued rotation of the cylinders 32 33 the paper is carried away from the spurs 118 and inserted at an intermediate folding-point between the grippers 45 of the cylinders 34 by the folding-blade 43. The grippers 45 carry the sheets, leading them by their second fold to the period of operation illustrated by Fig. 5, at which time the grippers 45 release their hold at the finally-folded point and permit the conveyance of the sheets by the tapes 46 48, as indicated. divided by the rotating knife. 55 and delivered by the said tapes to be further folded by mechanism not herein shown, but such as heretofore well known in practice.

To print an eight-page paper, the clutch 29 is shifted to drive the two presses at an equal speed, and duplicate fourpage impressions are delivered from each machine, the webs.14 15 passing over the diagonal bars 16 17. The perforating-cylinders 66 67 are out of use, being disconnected from the machine, and the cutting-cylinders 108 109, having a circumference equal to the cylinders 32 33, are applied, the web 15 being fed to them over the The duplicate papers are rolls 112 114 and through the feed-rolls 110 in the alternative course so indicated I by broken lines. Suitable tapes may be carried from the final rolls 110 to the rolls 74 to convey the leading ends of the sheets cut from the second press, and the distance of the cutting-rolls 108 109 from the -'rolls 59 60 andthe cutting-cylinders 32 33 is so arranged that the leading end of the four-page sheets from the inders, and is split or subdivided and passed over both the diagonal bars 16 17 and superimposed on the roll 58, delivering thereby two unlike four-page impressions or eight pages of the publication, while the web from the second press is printed at half-width upon an end of the type-cylinders and delivered in two-page impressions over the diagonal bar 19 and treated in like manner to that described hereinbefore.

The production of a twelve-page paper corresponds in operation to that described with reference to a six-page paper, excepting that the webs from each press receive unlike impressions from opposite ends of the type-cylinders and are split or subdivided and passed over both sets of diagonal bars 16 17 and 18 19 and superimposed on the rolls 58 112,whence they pass combined and are treated in like manner to that described hereinbefore.

The production of a sixteen-page paper cor responds in operation to that described in reference to an eight-page paper, (the two presses being driven at an equal speed,) excepting that the webs 11 15 from each press receive unlike impressions from opposite ends of the type-cylinders and are split or subdivided and passed over both sets of diagonal bars 16 17 and 18 19 and superimposed on the rolls 58 112, whence the superimposed half-widths are cut by the cylinders 32 1.09, respectively, and folded by the cylinders 32 323 31-.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the machine is illustrated as producing a ten-page paper. The four-page subdivisions 120 122 of the web 14 are turned, respectively, over the diagonal bars 16 and 18 and passed over the rolls 88 and 91, and both carried between the cylinders 9O 91 to the cylinders 32 The halfwidth two-page web 15 is perforated into supplement-sheets (at half surface speed) between the perforating-cylindcrs (5G 67, and is parted and tallied at its leading end with the folding-point of the webs 120 122 in a similar manner to that described in reference to Fig. 4c. The subdivisions 122 of the web 14 being printed so as to register with the cuttingknife 38 at the termination of its printed pages, the web 120 is adjusted for its correct period of delivery to said knife 38 to tally with the web 122 by movement of the roll 88 in its bearing-slides 123, and the supplementsheets are made to tally with the foldingpoints of the combined webs 122 120 by adjustment of the parting-rolls 59 60 011 their bearing-slides 94:, which must obviously be changed to correspond with any change required in the position of the roll 88.

By means of the clutch 29 the two presses may be disconnected to be operated independently, the one without the other, and the folding mechanism of the second press is then used therewith in the instance of such independent operation.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cutting or breaking and folding mechanism for printing-presses, the combination of the cutting-cylinders adapted to transversely cut a printed web in given lengths subsequent to its delivery from a press printing at a given surface speed, separate perforating-cylinders adapted to transversely perforate a printed supplement-web in half said given lengths subsequent to its delivery from a separate press printing at half the said surface speed, and parting-rolls succeeding said perforating-cylinders in the line of feed of the supplement-web, having the said given surface speed and located at a distance from the said cutting -cylinders, whereby they are adapted to part and accelerate the speed of the supplement-web to tally the leading end thereof with an intermediate folding point of the said given out lengths from the press having the aforesaid given surface speed, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a printing and folding mechanism, the combination of the separate co-operative presses, the one having the cutting-cylinders 32 33, adapted to sever its printed web in given lengths, the other having perforatingcylinders 66 (37, adapted to partly sever its printed web in half said given lengths, and cutting-cylinders 108 109, adapted for alternative use to sever its printed web in lengths equal to said given lengths, and of the hereindescribed differential clutch mechanism connecting the two presses, whereby the relative speeds of the same are changed or the two disconnected, as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a cutting or breaking and folding mechanism for printing-presses, the combination of the cutting-cylinders adapted to transversely cut a printed web in given lengths subsequent to its delivery from a press printing at a given surface speed, separate perforating-cylinders adapted to transversely perforate a printed supplement-web in half said given lengths subsequent to its delivery from a separate press printing at half the said surface speed, and parting-rolls succeeding said perforating-cylinders in the line of feed of the supplement-web, having the said given surface speed and adjustable at variable distances from the said cutting-eylinders, whereby they are adjusted to part and accelerate the speed of the supplement-web at a period to tally the leading end thereof with an intermediate folding-point of the said given out lengths from the press having the aforesaid given surface speed.

4:. In a cutting or breaking and folding mechanism for piintingpresses, the combination, with the diagonal bars 16 18, whereby the subdivisions of a double-width printed web are superimposed, and the superimposing-rolls 90 91, of the adjustable roll 88, adapted to change the length of course of one cylinders 60 67, for perforating the Web of the second press, and the normally-speeded parting-rolls 59 60, adjustable at variable points in-the line of paper-feed from the said second press, whereby the leading ends of the sheets severed from said paper-feed will tally with the coincident folding-points in the said subdivisions of the first Web, as'and for the purposes set forth.

7 JOHN BROOKS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. WOODRUFF, JOHN H. VAN WINKLE. 

